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New California Republic
The New California Republic (NCR) is a federal unicameral parliamentary republic founded in New California, comprised of five contiguous states and additional territories and holdings in pre-War regions in Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Oregon, and parts of Mexico. The Republic dedicates itself to the values of the old world: Democracy, liberty, the rule of law, all in order to make the wasteland a better place. However, its policies resulted in difficulties in recent years. History The history of the Republic dates back to the survivors of Vault 15 who emerged from the shelter around 2097 and founded the town of Shady Sands. With the assistance of Vault Dweller, who destroyed the Khan raider tribe, Aradesh and his daughter, Tandi, led the community into prosperity. With expanding trade routes came cultural exchange, eventually culminating in a movement aiming at forming a national entity. The idea resonated with other wastelanders and won popular support, leading to the formation of the New California Republic in Shady Sands in 2186, with a trial council government established to draft the constitution. Three years later, in 2189, the Republic proper was voted into existence as a federation of five states organized around major settlements in the wastes: Shady Sands, Los Angeles, Maxson, Hub, and Dayglow.56 Less than a century after its founding, the Republic is a model example of post-apocalyptic success and good ethics. Steady expansion and development led to widespread political enfranchisement, the establishment of rule of law and its enforcement, security from threats within and without (to a reasonable degree), and good standards of living (above mere subsistence, at minimum) are a reality for its massive population of over 700,000 citizens. The situation improved even further with the Mojave Campaign and securing the flow of electricity and water from Hoover Dam to the Republic. However, the protracted campaign has come at a cost. The death of President Tandi, who cherished the humanitarian values upon which the Republic was founded, resulted in marked changes in the character of the Republic. The NCR in 2281 is in a period of transition, experiencing rapid economic growth and dramatic political changes, endangering its original grand ideals. Nowhere is that more evident than in the morally corrosive, imperialist Mojave Campaign, championed by President Aaron Kimball and aiming for the unilateral annexation of the city of New Vegas as the sixth state of the Republic. Years of campaigning led to a stalemate, locking NCR as the protector of New Vegas from Caesar's Legion, without a single cap in tax revenue from the New Vegas Strip or concessions from Robert House, proprietor of the Strip, who is content to abide by the terms of the Treaty of New Vegas and use the 5% of the dam's output for their own ends. This left the Republic overstretched and weighed down with bureaucracy, unable to properly supply its campaign, the direct result of both General Oliver's insistence on massing troops and resources at Hoover Dam and Camp McCarran at the expense of the rest of the Republic's Mojave garrison and the NCR Senate having cut funding to the Mojave Campaign. Meanwhile, NCR citizens continue to come to the Mojave Wasteland, either as traders, fortune seekers, or citizen soldiers fighting for the Republic swelling New Vegas' economy while dwindling the Republic's. Society Abstractly, the NCR represents progress; while tribals and other wastelanders scratch out a meager existence, citizens of the NCR enjoy the wasteland luxuries of a steady economy, healthcare, laws, and legitimate government, not to mention the largest military to ensure they have a shot at more than just survival. The large population of the New California Republic means it is composed of a highly diverse number of individuals, from highly refined inhabitants of the Republic's grand urban centers, through merchants and frontier settlers, to the large numbers of farmers and ranchers responsible for the Republic's economic might. That economic power was one of the key factors in the transformation of society between 2241 and 2281. As survival ceased being a major concern for the vast majority of NCR citizens, the problem of collective welfare has been largely superseded by concerns about individual prosperity. People providing services free of charge are now the exception, rather than the rule, with skilled workers routinely charging for their services, from tailors to surgeons. Moreover, after over 80 years of scavenging, the wastelands of New California have been largely picked clean of salvageable goods. NCR citizens who can still make a living exclusively by scavenging and hunting are an uncommon sight. The combination of these cultural and economic factors led to the rebirth of wage labor: Most citizens have to seek an employer at a mill, factory or farm and work to earn their keep and earn money necessary to survive. But these jobs are easy to find in one of the many mills and farms in New California.13 The citizens themselves hold a variety of opinions on these developments. While many praise the economic strength hammered out in the furnaces of the wasteland, many other decry the loss of communal spirit. Some will even curse the selfishness of other citizens, usually while pursuing goals that are just as selfish. One thing is common: The belief that opportunity has largely dried up at home and real fortunes await further east. Equality The Republic prohibits persecution and discrimination on the basis of gender, ethnicity, sexuality, or religious belief (so long as said religion does not advocate violence). Since 2205, it also protects ghouls and mutants, though enforcement of these rights has been uneven (even as far as 2281, one can find super mutants tortured by NCR troops with impunity or politicians who make a career out of anti-mutant bigotry). In general, the Republic is successful in its enforcement of equality laws. However, since the death of President Tandi and the election of President Kimball, there has been some retrenchment. The reactionary undercurrent, especially among males, led to a disproportionately high number of promotions for male military officers, while discourse arguing the differences between males and females has reappeared. Regardless of the setbacks, slavery is outlawed in all NCR territories. Homosexuality is generally accepted in the core states of the Republic, though frontier territories away from the more civilized center tend to show prejudice. During her long presidency, Tandi enacted legislation that limited the number of cattle head and the acreage of fields that could be owned by a single person, limiting the power of the Stockmen's Association and the Republican Farmer's Committee. Following her death, the restrictions were slowly eroded away by each new president and finally overturned during the presidency of Aaron Kimball. As a result, wealthy farmers and ranchers (commonly known as Brahmin barons) exert a disproportionate amount of influence, despite having just one vote on paper. Economy The NCR's free market economy is based on two resources, ever since its inception: Great Brahmin herds and swaths of land restored to arable condition. Providing meat, leather, milk, and other foodstuffs, these are the backbone of the economy of the Republic. As a result, ranchers and farmers hold great sway in the Republic. During Tandi's presidency, anti-cartel regulations were implemented to limit the acreage and Brahmin heads one man could control. However, with her death, pressure from the Stockmen's Association and the Republican Farmer's Committee certainly helped erode them, until President Kimball overturned them completely. As a result, since 2241 much of the Republic's farming and Brahmin herding has been monopolized by Brahmin and agricultural barons, incredibly wealthy individuals who exert a lot of influence thanks to their money. Their success also led to the emergence of cottage industries, such as the rebirth of luxury goods manufacture and pseudo-journalism reporting on the latest purchases, commissions, and life lessons of the new rich and famous. Other branches of industry have also developed. Light industry, including tools, clothes making, mills and other manufacturing, form a significant part of the Republic's industrial output. Another notable element of the Republic's economy are its ordnance workshops, producing standardized weapons and armor for the New California Republic Army and Rangers. The ever-expanding trade routes led to the rise of powerful merchant houses, such as the Crimson Caravan Company, the Far Go Traders and the Gun Runners, which continue to all but completely dominate all trade within New California. Currency The NCR introduced its own money around the turn of the 22nd century and initially it relied on coins minted from gold. By 2241, the economy of NCR dominated the West Coast and coins became universal currency, used by the three regional powers: NCR, Vault City and New Reno. During this time bottle caps had become worthless in these regions.20 During the conflict with the Brotherhood the Republic's gold reserves were destroyed by Brotherhood raids to the point where new gold coins could not be minted and paper money could not be properly backed with gold. NCR citizens panicked and rushed to reclaim the listed face value of currency from NCR's remaining gold reserves. Since the NCR was unable to realize these withdrawals, particularly towards the frontier, faith in their currency considerably dropped. To protect against actual economic collapse, the NCR government abandoned the gold standard and established fiat currency, not payable in specie. Since then many wastelanders lost faith in it as a medium of worth, both as a result of it not being backed by anything but the government's word and the inevitable inflation. In response to the loss of faith, merchant consortiums of the Hub re-established their own currency, the veritable bottle cap, backing it with water (exchanging a standardized measure of water for caps). By 2281, the NCR dollar is valued at about 40% of a water-backed cap and only 10% of a silver Legion denarius. In the Mojave Wasteland, these notes can be seen in the $5, $20, and $100 denominations. The notes are issued by the Republic Reserve Bank located in Angel's Boneyard. In 2283, the current Treasurer of the Republic and head of the NCR Treasury is John Michael Henderton; his signature can be found on the front face of all NCR notes found in the Wasteland. Population Since 2241, New California has been radically growing in size. Their exponential growth has allowed the NCR to become the largest known post-war country, with a total population number above 700,000. The Republic's large population has meant a diverse range of commerce and the development of sprawling urban centers. The NCR's sheer number of citizens has also bolstered its armed forces with an advantage that not many have and has allowed them to completely overwhelm any force that stands in its way through attrition with wave tactics that have been employed on both the Brotherhood of Steel during Operation Sunburst and the Enclave during the raid of Navarro, and the favored tactic of General Lee Oliver when fighting the Legion during the Second Battle of Hoover Dam. The NCR's size has likely been a strong influencing factor in the expansionist politics of its political and military leaders. The manpower at the disposal of President Kimball has him sending Rangers into parts of Mexico while also contesting Hoover Dam against Caesar's Legion. The NCR's population also acts as deterrence of sorts for some factions, in particular, the Brotherhood of Steel and the Van Graffs are hesitant to retaliate against the NCR because of the sheer size of their armed forces. While the NCR's population is an immense advantage, the NCR can barely support the size of itself. The NCR Army is under-equipped and can hardly afford to give supplies to its camps and new recruits, and are nearly always stretched too thin because of over-zealous expansion. Many citizens of the NCR are also expanding eastward because opportunities for success are near non-existent in the NCR's states outside of becoming a prominent Brahmin Baron overnight. The NCR government have been capitalizing off the want of its citizens to expand eastward and have enacted legislation such as the Thaler Act to support more citizens expanding eastward towards New Vegas. Ironically, the NCR's greatest strength may also be its greatest threat to itself. Studies conducted by the Office of Science and Industry have predicted that in a decade the NCR will grow so large that it will surpass its production to consumption rate and put in the NCR in a food shortage. Efforts are being made to stop that possibility, but research into the matter is slow going. Politics The New California Republic is a federal unicameral parliamentary republic based on the principle of representative democracy, established as the successor of the pre-War United States. The executive branch is the Council, headed by the President of the New California Republic and their Vice-President, elected by the Congress. The Congress, also known as the Senate, forms the legislative branch and is a unicameral parliament staffed by representatives elected in popular elections by citizens of each state that comprises the Republic. Apart from legislation, the Congress also acts as an advisory body to the government of the Republic. Notably, while the general term for representatives is "Congressman", the states themselves use use a variety of titles: "Councilor," "Counselor," "Councilman," "Representative," and "Senator." In particular, the Hub (in its own obstinate way) insists on calling their representatives "Governors." The terms are used interchangeably and used widely outside the chambers of the Council and Congress, but within them they can be used as insults and spark furious debates. The judicial branch comprises courts and judges ruling in accordance with NCR's adapted version of American common law. United States uses common law, so it's logical that its heirs would continue to use it - after adapting it to post nuclear needs, of course. Territory The New California Republic is a federation of five states. The NCR also has several territorial holdings that are prospective in becoming a state, such as parts of northern California, and Baja. The list of incorporated states: * Shady, incorporating Shady Sands, Vault 15, Junktown, and other neighboring NCR settlements. * Angel's Boneyard, incorporating Adytum and other settlements in the Boneyard area. * Hub, incorporating The Hub and other towns. * Maxson, originally including Lost Hills as an independent enclave. The status is unknown, due to the ongoing NCR-Brotherhood war. * Dayglow, incorporating towns south of Angel's Boneyard. Other cities also joined the NCR between 2241 and 2281, as territories or incorporated into existing states (no new states were formed after the initial foundation). * Arroyo * New Reno * Redding * Vault City * Sac-Town Law Civil Law As mentioned above, NCR citizens have the right to vote for their representatives to sit in the Congress. Both citizens and non-citizens enjoy the protection of NCR's courts (although courts tend to favor citizens in disputes). Freedom of religion is considered a right within the NCR, as long as the religion is not violent or psychotic. At the same time, the Republic, thanks to Tandi, enforces a strict separation of church and state. Equality legislation also a prohibition of discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, sexuality, or aforementioned religious beliefs. Mutants are also protected since 2205, but enforcing this part of the law has been spotty. Intellectual property laws have been enacted and remain a source of ongoing controversy, particularly patents. Followers of the Apocalypse are particularly staunch critics of the latter. Immigration Laws Immigration into the NCR is open to both humans and mutants, provided they are law-abiding and peaceful. The process is simple. The person in question moves to an NCR territory, presents their claim for immigration, undergo citizenship training, and once his application is processed is granted the status of a Provisional Citizen (PC). Full citizenship is granted shortly afterwards. All registered citizens are required to pay any appropriate and associated taxes. Territories can petition the Republic for annexation. Once the petition is accepted, the NCR grants the town territorial status and establishes a police and army presence in the location to establish the rule of law and eliminate law-breakers. Once this process is completed, the territory can apply for full statehood. Between 2241 and 2281, no new territory has been granted full statehood. Criminal Law The Republic dedicates itself to bringing peace, security, and justice to the people within and without their borders. When the NCR can excise rule of law on criminals, it is done so according to the severity of their crimes, with the death penalty being reserved for serious offenses. Notably, murder does not automatically translate to a capital sentence. Punishment for criminals inside NCR proper means serving prison time at any number of correctional facilities and performing manual labor for the NCR's work release program. However, outside the NCR's territory is a different story. The NCR Army isn't keen on peacekeeping activities and usually swiftly punishes crimes committed in around New Vegas with death. Part of this includes the setting of bounties and delegating the responsibly of capture to able civilians that can bring in criminals that have eluded NCR lawmen or military. At least for the military, bounties require proof in the form of an intact head; anything less conclusive results in a fraction of the bounty being rewarded. Common municipal laws in the NCR boil down to: * a ban on slavery, gambling, and prostitution * a ban on open carry of weapons (although concealed carry is permitted) * a ban on public drunkenness or drug use Although they are rigidly enforced in major NCR population centers, they tend to become more relaxed on the frontier. On the road, bylaws of the Republic allow for dismissing caravan members suspected of theft without pay. Military Law This same rule of law also applies to prisoners of war. With laws enacted during President Tandi's administration, the NCR recognizes the rights of prisoners of war and approaches their care humanely and free from abuse. Most officers find these laws to be constricting, but resourceful officers find ways around it by employing the service of outside consultants. Laws pertaining to soldiers are quite severe. Cowardice before the enemy, especially desertion, is punished with death by hanging or to be shot on sight. Dishonorable conduct usually leads to a court-martial and may result in execution by firing squad for particularly severe crimes. Internal Conflicts In theory, this is a sound and well-balanced system, but in practice, every state tries to assert its independence and work towards furthering its own agenda. There is much friction between the states of Hub and Shady Sands, usually related to trade rights and caravan routes, while New Reno remains dominated by various crime families. Significant pressure is exerted on the political and economic direction of the NCR by a variety of private interests; in particular, the brahmin barons whose wealth gives them great influence at the ballot box and whose needs are often placed first by officials seeking support in their political ambitions. With the armed forces, the Gun Runners gain special dispensation and influence as they are the primary contributor to NCR's weapon arsenal. Elsewhere, monopolies like the Crimson Caravan and similar trading families dominate the trade routes and use their wealth to gain influence with the NCR government and extort large amounts of money. Smaller competitors who are unable to compete with both the larger competition as well as the high taxes are inevitably muscled out. The president is the biggest factor in deciding on the course the Republic should take. For example, under Tandi (who served over ten terms as President; something Caesar mocks as indicative of monarchy, rather than democracy), the NCR has grown substantially, focusing efforts on rebuilding the pre-War infrastructure and restarting technological development, while under Aaron Kimball, the NCR became more imperialistic and expansive, overextending itself in the process thanks in no small part to then-General Oliver's incompetence and bureaucratic red tape. Military Subordinated to the President and the Congress, the military of the Republic is one of its most distinguishing elements. The core component, the Army, has between tens and hundreds of thousands of servicemen, either volunteers or draftees, organized into battalions, equipped with standardized weapons and armor, and with varying degrees of training and competence. They are the proverbial sledgehammer, a tool used to crush enemies of the Republic and build order in the lands under the Republic's control, and a shield, protecting the Republic from harm that may come from its numerous enemies, such as the Caesar's Legion. Supported by the industrial might of the Republic and unique technologies reclaimed by the Republic (like Vertibirds confiscated from the Enclave), they are the foundation of the security policy of the Republic. On the civilian side of the spectrum lie marshals and police formations, responsible for enforcing the law of the Republic within the territory of the NCR. The special formations of the NCR military are the scalpel to the Army's sledgehammer. The premier unit are the New California Republic Rangers, who grew out of a paramilitary abolitionist militia dedicated to the eradication of slavery in New California. They have grown into one of the most professional and deadly military outfits in the wastes and were folded under the military command of the Republic's military. Commonly respected for their valor and skill in battle, the Rangers are folk heroes and enjoy an unblemished, heroic reputation and access to top of the line weapons and armor, often coming from recovered and restored pre-War goods. Notably, the Republic practices what it preaches and the military, like society, makes no distinction between the genders when it comes to serving in the military. Super mutants and ghouls are also known to serve in the elite Rangers, but none are known to enter service in the regular Army. However, under the Kimball administration, the egalitarian aspects of military service have eroded somewhat with many believing nepotism and favoritism has taken hold in many aspects of military life. Foreign Relations Many people in the western wastelands have mixed feelings about the NCR. Some people strongly support the Republic's goals of spreading democracy and the rule of law, and others vehemently oppose their methods of "controlling" everything they come into contact with. With wastelanders who were used to having no more than a mayor or sheriff now suddenly being part of a complex political structure and having to pay taxes, some view it as a loss of the frontier lifestyles that once defined them. As the NCR's power and territory grew, it made progressively stronger enemies who would test the resolve of the Republic. Under President Tandi, the NCR made slow but sustainable territorial expansion, allowing towns and other small communities, who were impressed by the principles of the NCR, to join of their own volition. While defending their borders from hostile raiders like the once legendary Vipers and Jackals, who would be ravaged by the NCR's military until they became broken shadows of their former glory. Eventually taming southern California, these achievements would garner such respect for President Tandi that the people would come to adore her, and tribals outside the NCR's borders would refer to her as the "Great Mother". Viewing the NCR's growth and success as a threat to their already stagnating power and influence, the Brotherhood of Steel would launch a military campaign with the goal of pacifying the NCR and asserting its dominance over the wasteland and its technology. The NCR would ultimately prevail and force the Brotherhood into retreat and hiding. The NCR had defeated their strongest opponent yet. After the death of President Tandi, her successors would gradually change the direction of the NCR. Rapidly expanding the Republic's borders in every direction in a more imperialistic fashion, they sacrificed some of the NCR's principles and moral high ground in the process. Tribals that once revered the "Great Mother" began to become "domesticated" as the Republic sweeps through tribal lands. Following the Mojave Campaign, spearheaded by President Aaron Kimball, the NCR's expansion lead it to the Mojave Wasteland, where it would encounter the impressive city of New Vegas, and the even more promising Hoover Dam. However, the Republic came into contact with it's greatest enemy yet encountered, Caesar's Legion. Several years of fighting resulted in a pyrrhic victory for the Republic, however. Following the death of both Aaron Kimball and Caesar, the Republic was close to winning the Second Battle of Hoover Dam. Unbeknownst to both factions, a third party was plotting to steal victory from both sides. An army of PDQ-88b securitrons, headed by Courier Six, forced the Republic's hand, and they were forced to withdraw all forces from the Mojave Wasteland. Several years later, after the election of Lee Oliver as President of the Republic, the NCR would return to the fight, hoping to take Hoover Dam as it's prize once and for all. Known wars and military conflicts in which the NCR was involved: * NCR-Enclave War * NCR-Brotherhood War * NCR-Great Khan War * NCR-Legion War * NCR-Vegas War Technology Overall, the Republic can be readily described as the most advanced entity in the post-nuclear North America. While smaller organizations do possess more advanced weapons, armor, or tools (like the Enclave, Brotherhood of Steel, or the Shi), no one can rival the Republic's agriculture, industry, economy, and military, with the sole exception of the Caesar's Legion or pre-War Brotherhood of Steel. The keystone of the Republic's economic might are its brahmin herds and arable land, painstakingly re-cultivated with primitive tools they had at their disposal. Aided strongly by the Followers of the Apocalypse, the Republic thrived. When the shift in Republican foreign policy occurred with Kimball's election, the relations soured and the Republic eventually lost the Followers' support. However, disillusioned Followers flocked to the government and formed the Office of Science and Industry in 2275, becoming a dedicated, NCR-aligned research and development house. By 2281, their achievements include implementing computer simulations to aid with agricultural planning and cultivation, maximizing the output of Hoover Dam and restoring the power grid between the Mojave and Shady Sands, and even begin developing solutions for a famine projected to affect the Republic in 2281. However, the technology is not limited to just agriculture. Tthe OSI continues to (re)develop and implement new technologies in fields such as medicine, engineering, and biology. Building on the strong infrastructure built during the 52 years of President Tandi's rule, which includes roads, railways, transportation, manufacturing, forts, and more, the OSI increasing the NCR's technological advantage over its competitors. That edge is nothing if not immense: By 2281, the Republic's powerful merchant companies have access to facilities and materials allowing them to manufacture standardized armaments, weapons, and ammunition to fully outfit the largest standing army in the wasteland, to the point of different companies actively competing with each other for supply contracts (such as the Crimson Caravan and Far Go Traders) or even considered an unofficial branch of the Army (the Gun Runners). Advanced technologies are also harnessed by the Republic for the benefit of its citizens. The annexation of Vault City granted the Republic access to advanced medical and scientific technologies, including organ cloning, performance enhancing implants, armor grafts, and other refined procedures. Other advanced technologies utilized by the Republic include satellite communications, power armor taken from the Brotherhood, and even Global Positioning System satellites. Of note is also the Republic's ability to construct concrete bunkers on vital frontlines, such as the Colorado River.